Sen. Pete Harckham

Maddy summaryThis bill amends existing laws to clarify that elected or appointed sheriffs and undersheriffs are exempt from mandatory basic police training requirements. While the legislation maintains strict training mandates for regular police officers, it explicitly removes these obligations for sheriff and undersheriff positions. The change ensures that these specific law enforcement leaders are not subject to the same certification rules applied to other municipal police personnel.

Requires certain watercraft, aircrafts, and trains to use clean energy, including ensuring such vehicles are zero-emissions; requires NYSERDA to study zero-emission commercial vehicles, the use of renewable energy in publicly funded airports, and the use of sustainable aviation fuel; requires NYSERDA to administer a grant program to flying schools and clubs that install charging infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits hospitals from restricting licensed medical practitioners who are acting in good faith and within their professional scope of practice. Specifically, it prevents hospitals from limiting a doctor's ability to share comprehensive medical information with patients or from blocking necessary treatments for pregnancy complications when those services are required to meet the standard of care or prevent serious health risks. The legislation also protects these practitioners from retaliation, such as firing or discipline, if they provide care or communicate in accordance with the new rules. Additionally, the state health department is tasked with creating online materials to help medical staff understand these new protections.

Establishes the climate corporate data accountability act requiring certain business entities within the state to annually disclose scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions; establishes the climate accountability and emissions disclosure fund.

Enacts the climate resilient New York act; establishes the office of resilience and a resilience task force to assess and identify climate related threats and develop a statewide resilience plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act to create a dedicated funding mechanism for improving groundwater and surface water quality across the county. It establishes a new water quality restoration fund financed by an additional sales tax of one-eighth of one percent, which would be approved through a mandatory referendum and remain in effect until 2060. The revenue generated would be split evenly between funding individual septic system upgrades and larger wastewater treatment facility projects. Additionally, the legislation grants the county authority to consolidate existing sewer districts into a single county-wide wastewater management district to streamline operations and enforce nitrogen reduction goals. The bill also outlines a schedule for transferring a portion of existing sewer taxpayer protection funds into the new restoration fund over a ten-year period.

Relates to the purchase of zero-emission buses and the procurement of electric-powered buses, vehicles or other related equipment and infrastructure; requires public utilities to have infrastructure, capacity, facilities, and transmission and distribution systems needed to supply power for the charging of zero-emission buses; provides a tariff for charging of electric buses.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies state liability laws regarding damage caused by potholes or defects on state highways. It generally establishes that the state is responsible for paying damages to individuals injured or whose property is damaged by these road defects, provided the state had notice of the problem. However, the legislation includes a specific exemption for roads maintained by the state during the months of May through November, unless the state has received notice of the defect. Additionally, the bill clarifies that the state is not liable for defects in bridges over which it has no control and defines its responsibility within incorporated villages based on the portion of the road it maintains.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires coroners, pathologists, medical examiners, and other qualified examiners to report cases of Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases if they are found in a deceased person. The law mandates that these officials notify the health department promptly whenever such an infection is discovered during an examination, following specific reporting methods set by the commissioner. This change applies to anyone legally authorized to conduct post-mortem examinations and aims to improve the tracking of these diseases after death. The new requirement will become effective ninety days after the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New York's Commissioner of Health to create a special health insurance program under the federal 1332 state innovation program, allowing the state to offer coverage to specific individuals who currently do not qualify for standard plans. The program is designed for New York residents under age 65 who are ineligible for Medicaid, lack affordable employer-sponsored insurance, and have household incomes between 133% and 250% of the federal poverty line, with additional provisions for certain noncitizens and pregnant individuals. Key features include the requirement that approved health plans cover essential benefits, dental and vision services, and specific cancer care, while also providing temporary income protections for children and pregnant people. The legislation mandates that the state obtain necessary federal approvals from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Treasury Department before implementing the plan.